Renault Kwid an Intelligent Execution!

Modified On Sep 24, 2015 01:32 PM By Raunak

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New entrants are made to stir-up the segment, so there are new entrants and then there is Renault Kwid! It’s like the car calamity waiting to happen!

Launch Update: Renault Kwid has been launched at a price of Rs 2.56 lacs (Ex-showroom, Delhi). The car has introduced many-segment firsts and has been offered at a price that is extremely competitive, especially considering all the features offered by the zippy little French car. Check out the complete launch details right here: Renault Launches Kwid at Rs 2.56 lacs

The compact crossover-SUV revelation that Duster brought, taught Renault more than the rest of the peers of what Indian needs, and for that matter rest of the world! Thanks to the Duster’s runaway success and then Ford EcoSport’s cosmic one, the rest of the automakers planned their entry into this segment. But as this segment is flooding, Renault has something astounding in store in the sub-5 lac bracket, 4 to be precise and it is called - the Renault Kwid. Moreover, the bookings for the Kwid are open and the vehicle is expected to launch this month. Renault Kwid's price will fall in the bracket of INR 3-4 lac.

If we can measure the shock levels, the production version is as surprising as the concept (debuted at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo) in some way or the other. Renault revealed Kwid in May and it is expected to hit the roads by next month. The shock came in the way that we’ll be having a crossover-esque vehicle with Duster like stance in a space flooded with Altos and Eons along with few GOs! Isn’t it amazing? This said, Duster was successful but currently the sales numbers are not much to boast off. So if Kwid will be a runaway success, expect more crossover-like vehicles in below 5 lac mark market.

Apart from the Duster like muscular fenders, the Kwid resembles Renault’s global line-up largely with the Captur. Moreover, it also rides on an iteration of the Renault-Nissan alliance's global CMF (Common Module Family) platform - CMF-A. So, how can one give something like this in a 3-4 lac price bracket? There is cost cutting for sure, but it is done in an efficient way or rather intelligently as the title says!

Adding on the cost cutting, they are presenting it in a crossover like way, so, bumpers are half plastic and half body colored along with plastic ORVMs and handles and all-around body cladding. The headlights go well with the car and adheres to Renault’s current theme, C-shaped ones, but they are pretty basic with a single rounded bezel presented in a flashy layout.

On the inside, again the dash is pretty basic, however, Renault has done something amazing which is never heard of in the segment. Things like, all digital dashboard, which is rather like an elementary dot-matrix display but looks cool in the sub-4 lac Kwid.

Moreover, the biggest USP is its touchscreen infotainment system with navigation - Renault’s same MediaNAV unit found in Duster and Lodgy! All these things make it compelling in its segment, let us see what all will be the variants and the final price of the Kwid.

Will there be a Kwid Stepway?

Like the Renault Lodgy, Kwid might get a little premium looking Stepway version. Recently, the vehicle was spied wearing the same Lodgy-Stepway like grille, bigger alloy wheels and doses of chrome here and there. Moreover, Renault will also reportedly introduce a more powerful 1.0-liter engine in the Kwid; maybe Kwid Stepway will be offered with this 1.0-liter motor.

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Also See: Maruti Alto | Hyundai Eon | Datsun Go